Royal: I'll Snub Our Allies
Ségolène Royal will find it difficult to work with Britain's Conservative Party as president of France, her significant other told the Daily Telegraph. She also rejects Margaret Thatcher as "ruthless" and says that Tony Blair hasn't been sufficiently socialist for her tastes, according to François Hollande:
Ségolène Royal, the French Left's candidate for president, would find it difficult working with the "anti-European" David Cameron and shuns comparisons with the "ruthless" Margaret Thatcher, her partner and Socialist party leader, François Hollande said yesterday.In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Mr Hollande said Miss Royal drew inspiration from Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, although there was "real divergence" on many policies, including on Iraq.
While Mr Hollande said his partner had been inspired by Mr Blair's strategic thinking - and especially the way he had modernised his own nominally socialist party - he said she "generally disagreed" with his policies. ...
"Margaret Thatcher has definitely not been a model for Ségolène. Even though she's a woman, Thatcher was known for her ruthless methods. She took many blows and this hardened her. Cameron is very much anti-European. It's because of this stance that he won the leadership of the party.
"But there's a natural opposition between the Conservatives in Britain and the Socialist Party in France. As parties we're very different.
"We'd certainly find it very difficult to envisage a future partnership with the Conservative Party."
One might suppose that Hollande and Royal want to send a message to the British not to elect Cameron if Royal wins the French presidency. Otherwise, the alliance between the two nations may come to an end. It's a rather arrogant statement from someone who wants to sell herself as a leader of her nation, and one which the British might want to keep in mind later.
Hollande later said that Royal didn't choose to run for her own personal glory, but for the French people. Odd, then, that she would project her personal dislikes onto Cameron and the Conservatives, who may one day run the UK after Blair leaves. The French people might want to maintain a good working relationship between Paris and London regardless of who Royal believes to be her opponent. The proper position for any candidate would be to maintain respect for the elected representatives of a nation's ally.
And in this case, Royal hasn't even bothered to visit the ally at all, an unusual omission for a French presidential candidate -- especially one who has decided that she can ignore a good chunk of their electorate. That makes her right about one thing: she's no Margaret Thatcher.
Posted by Ed Morrissey on March 26, 2007 4:32 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)
Comments (5)
Posted by Lew![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/nav-commenters.gif)
| March 26, 2007 9:39 AM
Ah but you forget Cap'n, European Union is all about realizing the socialist dream of a borderless continent, and by extention a borderless world. So her blathering opinions all over the landscape, and butting her nose into UK politics, is exactly what she imagines is needed. In fact, she may not even believe that there is such a thing as UK politics, seperate from EU politics.
How old fashioned of you!
Posted by Ripper![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/nav-commenters.gif)
| March 26, 2007 11:23 AM
Since when has Beritain and France been allies (I would imagine OCtober 1956 was the last time). This woman is stuck on stupid.
Posted by lexhamfox![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/nav-commenters.gif)
| March 26, 2007 2:12 PM
"One might suppose that Hollande and Royal want to send a message to the British not to elect Cameron if Royal wins the French presidency. Otherwise, the alliance between the two nations may come to an end. "
Ed, your read on this is way out of order. The alliance between Britian and France predates the EU and has endured many fundamental differences between leaders throughout its long history... bigger differences than the ones between Royal and Cameron. Even if Royal and Cameron are elected, I would not expect those differences to impair the good relations between the two countries. If they can withstand Mitterand and Thatcher... they can take the much smaller divide between Cameron's Tory Light and Royal's watered down socialism.
Posted by Martin Hague![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/nav-commenters.gif)
| March 26, 2007 5:38 PM
Good relations? Have you been to England and talked to the average Joe about the French? They hate them.
Posted by lexhamfox![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/nav-commenters.gif)
| March 26, 2007 8:18 PM
I grew up the in the UK and I am aware that they are in fact Frogs but the relationship is particularly strong once you get past the nationalist rivaries which are more bitter within the Union than betweenthe English adn the French. Go to a rugby game in France or Ireland and you get a much better reception than you would in Cardiff or Edinburgh. More Briotish people than ever are buying retirement homes and spending vacations in France than ever before in history. More French professionals are relocating to London and parts of the West side of town are veritible French enclaves. The Chunnel has also contributed to closer and closer ties between the two nations. They are still frogs though. If you think the Entente Codiale is about to fall apart over somments by a want to be French politician or some of the UKIP party members comments you would be thinking wrong.